Emperor Ranma
by Newy2
Summary: Ranma. Engagement. The Saiyans plan to attack Earth, and the Sailor Scouts aren’t helping any by creating a pacifist world. Now it’s up to Ranma to step up as Emperor, and enter galactic politics to ally them with the Juraian Empire. I need Tylenol.


Disclaimer: Taoist, I've already disowned everything.  
  
: Chapter 1:  
  
Written by Newy, edited by Lag.  
  
"Mail," the mailman said, holding out a single card.  
Mr. Tendo took the postcard held out to him. The card read, "Hi, Bringing Ranma from China. - Saotome." Soun held the Chinese postcard with shaky hands as tears ran down his cheeks. "R-Ranma? Coming here?" he paused, "Oh, How I've w-waited for this day!"  
Mr. Tendo then called out for his family, "Akane, Nabiki, Kasumi come quick!"  
Wondering what was going on, his three daughters rushed into the room.  
Akane, the first one there, asked, "Yes?"  
Her sister, Nabiki, followed suit, "What's going on?"  
Their oldest sister, Kasumi, remained silent but attentive.  
The three daughters looked very surprised when their father became all teary eyed. "This is the happiest day of my life," he stated and hugged his daughters. "Today an old friend of mine will be coming over. He will be bringing his son with him, the young master, Ranma Saotome. As discussed long before you three were born, the master will be marrying one of the Tendo daughters to unite the school of "Anything Goes Martial Arts."  
Both Akane and Nabiki shouted out in unison, "WHAT!?"  
Feeling a bit angry with her father Akane protested, "I don't believe it! There's no way I'm going to marry a stranger."  
Tendo-kun became teary eyed with disappointment at his youngest daughter, "Akane, you would dishonor your family?"  
Nabiki's expression turned mischievous, "Well, if he's cute looking, I'll take him. Otherwise, I think Akane here should fulfill the family honor."  
Feeling a little guilty for making her father sad, "Fine, fine, I'll see how he's like." She then stared at her happy father and added, "But no promises!"  
Tendo-kun then hugged his daughter, "Oh, thank you..." he wept. "You'll make an excellent fiancée for Ranma."  
Kasumi softly murmured under her breath, "Fiancée?"  
"So, what do you think he's like?" Nabiki blushed. "Do you think he'll be cute?"  
Akane waved off the notion, "Doesn't matter, they're all perverts."  
Feigning surprise at her little sister's comment, Kasumi gave a shocked, "Oh my!"  
Nabiki, still laughing, turned toward Kasumi and asked, "Well, what about you?"  
Kasumi gives off her usual smile, "Um... well, I wouldn't mind if he was older, probably because older men are more mature. It'd be nice if he was kind, sweet, and strong so he could protect me?" Kasumi giggled a bit.  
Hearing the doorbell, Kasumi stood to answer it, her hands unknowingly tugging on her kimono to rid it of nonexistent wrinkles. Upon opening the door she noticed a dirty, rugged man sporting a pair of wire- framed glasses, a white gi, and bandana on his head at the door, and gave out a reflexive, "Oh my."  
"Hello, may I see Soun Tendo?"  
Unable to speak, Kasumi nods faintly. I know I said older than me, but... Letting it hang, she secretly prayed to Kami-sama, or any deity that was listening, that the man before her was not Ranma.  
The rest of the Tendo arrived. "What's going on?" asked Akane.  
Genma greeted his old friend, "Hello Soun."  
Kasumi produced a sweat drop.  
Soun beamed, "Saotome Genma, you old dog! How have you been? I hear you came all the way from China."  
Letting out a breath of relief Kasumi smiled and remembered her role as a hostess, "Oh dear, where are my manners? Pleas Saotome-san, come in."  
  
Dusk was quickly approaching and Ranma had yet to find the Tendo Dojo. Walking for what felt like eternity, aimlessly and drifting in no particular direction, she figured the stars were going to accompany her to sleep again. Stopping a moment to absorb the beautiful scenery and rest her tired feet, she sighs at the thought of sleeping in the street. Sitting down on the side of the road to stare outward into the river, she smiled as the sunset turned everything a beautiful reddish hue.  
  
Back at the Tendo estate Genma frowned as he slowly opened his eyes and placed his teacup on the table, "It appears he's not coming," he said sadly.  
The three girls were relieved but disappointed at the same time. Now that the engagement was withheld a little longer, each of the Tendo daughters had time to further contemplate the changes awaiting them.  
Soun lightly patted his friend on the back and replied, "Don't feel so down Saotome. I'm sure he'll show up."  
Genma lowered his head, "I have no doubt he would, Tendo, but it wouldn't have taken this long if he was more devoted." Of course this was devotion to Genma that Ranma didn't embrace but his old friend didn't need to know that. When the sun plunged into the ocean, everybody finally gave up waiting and resigned to bed.  
  
Morning came and everybody woke with it, sort of. Soun looked worried as his youngest and middle daughter walked into the dining room in a zombie daze. Apparently not meeting Ranma yesterday had their minds a little too active during the night wondering who he was.  
"Breakfast's ready," Kasumi chimed as she goes about setting up the table. Everybody sat at their respected place and began to eat.  
Expecting to taste rice when she put the chopsticks in her mouth, Akane slowly stared down to her bowl, and noticed a single grain of rice at the bottom, but waved that off since it disappeared. "Hmm, I must be hungrier than I thought," she noted. "Kasumi?" she asked while holding out her empty bowl, "May I have more?"  
Kasumi smiled, "Certainly." As she handed her little sister her bowl of rice she commented, "It's nice to see you eating well this morning."  
Genma just grinned. Round two.  
  
As Akane walked to school tired with bento in hand, she wondered why after 5 bowls of rice she was still hungry.  
"Akane, I love you!"  
"Akane, please date with me!"  
"Akane, today I shall win your heart with this bat!"  
Her head snapped up as she noticed a horde of boys rushing at her screaming their undying love and wanting to knock her over the head with a club and take her home with them. With righteous feminine fury, she suddenly felt a surge of energy and anger swell up in her wanting, no, needing to teach these pompous boys a lesson. She ran head first into the crowd, sleep be damned.  
  
After having dispatched the male half of the school she waited for her most annoying suitor with labored breath. This is it, she thought, Kuno is finally gonna win. She smirked smugly, knowing she had given it her all and within a few moments she would have to muster everything she had on her last attack.  
  
"'Unearthly happiness the rose distilled, Than that which withering on the virgin thorn Grows, lives and dies in single blessedness.' They fought you for your company, Akane... If they could manage to defeat you, that is. These. Weaklings. Truly, such a boorish lot! 'What fools these mortals be!'"  
  
"Good morning sempai," she said with no amount of enthusiasm as she tried to pass him quickly.  
But in a swift motion Kuno blocked her path with his bokken. "Perhaps my new attire, or maybe irresistible good looks, or even devilishly handsome smile distracted you." Lowering his wooden sword, "But aren't you forgetting something?"  
Akane brightened up and snapped her fingers, "That's right, I've been meaning to give you something."  
Kuno's excitement could hardly be contained, for the tigress Akane was about to bestow upon him, undoubtedly, something to consummate their love.  
With a mighty shout of, "KI YAH!" she threw him a haymaker with all her might. Kuno was about to parry her attack, but an unknown force knocked his bokken back a little and gave Akane's fist a clear path to his head. As Kuno fell to the ground unconscious, Akane noticed a small piece of rock bounce once beside him. Seemingly unimportant, she disregarded the rock and continued to class.  
  
The Way, the True Path to the Fist of God was everything now: the ultimate technique of converting will into possibility, possibility into probability, and probability into reality is all that matters. I realize the importance of obtaining the ultimate goal, but achieving that goal without hard work makes it of no value and would have cheated me of life. My life is the way; my way is martial arts, but few understand this so I instead describe it as the journey to 'perfection of self.' Ranma chucked a small rock to the side and walked off to find a street market. Her stomach growled. Maybe someone would feed a cute redhead...  
  
As the sight and smell of food assaulted her senses she grew incredibly hungrier. Perhaps it was not such a good idea to come. Her stomach growled as if giving her the answer, but unfortunately wasn't heard by anyone since it was drowned by the sound of people hustling and bustling. Looking dejected, she decide to turn away from the street market and go hunting for food. Upon trying to figure out what type of trap to set, she noticed a faint plea for help.  
  
"Hello miss, you appear lost." Chuckles could be heard from his other two companions.  
"Perhaps we can help you find your way. Of course we expect to be well," he trailed off and began looking her up and down, "rewarded."  
Kasumi shuddered to think what type of reward they were asking for. She involuntarily took a step back when her assailants stepped forward.  
"Don't worry, I promise you'll enjoy it immensely," he said while pulling out a knife.  
She tried to scream for help but fear had a firm grip of her throat. I guess it wasn't a good idea to use the back way to get home. She mentally regretted not having trained in the martial arts like her younger sister. Surely, it would have helped her more than being a meek housewife who could not even scream when her life depended on it.  
Ranma thanked god she had arrived just in time. With all her might she ran to the victim's side.  
"Whoa," one of the men said, "Damn, she's cute."  
The guy who appeared to be the leader chuckled, "Oh, now we have two toys to play with."  
Ranma scooted Kasumi behind her.  
"So, you want to go first huh? Well, I'll be happy to-" the man was unable to finish his sentence do the fist planted into his gut. After the punch, without hesitation, she continued with her assault with a sidekick to his head, a reverse roundhouse to the man beside him, and without slowing her rotation did a spinning jump kick on the last. All three men fell in seconds.  
"Are you all right?" Ranma asked. Unable to get a response she asked another question, "What's your name?"  
Finally able to regain control of herself, Kasumi answered, "Thank you, I'm all right now. My name is Kasumi, and thank you for saving me."  
Ranma smiled happily. "It's nothing. After all it's a martial artist's duty to protect the weak."  
"You're a martial artist?" Kasumi kicked her self mentally, "Well of course you are after that display of skill." She sighed, "I wish I could do something like that."  
Ranma then gave a questioning look, "Why not then?"  
Kasumi raised her head, "Huh? Oh no, I couldn't possibly!"  
"Sure you can, come with me. I think I saw a park this way when I last came." The buxom redhead grabbed her hand and dragged her off.  
"Oh my!"  
"You said you wish you can do it right? Well, you'll never be able too if you hold back your dreams."  
  
Before reaching the park Kasumi decided to gather some information about her savior, "Excuse me, may I know the name of my savior?"  
Ranma stopped. Pondering what to say she finally introduced herself, "I am the greatest martial artist in the world. Ranma Saotome, age 16."  
Ranma Saotome. Isn't that the name of the boy who their father engaged them to? She quickly dismissed it as a coincidence and giggled at how tomboyish her new friend was, "How do you know you're the greatest in the world?"  
"Simple," she said nonchalantly, "The world is how I perceive it. I am how it perceives me. Every challenger has been defeated. If the world wishes to prove me wrong, let them! I guess what I'm trying to say is, if you've never known anybody who's better than you, was there ever one?"  
"Makes sense but seems wrong. Don't masters try to avoid fights and challenges?"  
"Those are masters who have found contentment in something other than challenges. I find fulfillment in every challenge no matter the size, for we're all reaching for the same goal. Every challenger is my companion to reach this goal, and I can't help but feel some sort of kinship towards them as we waltz blindly through life without reason or meaning."  
  
After an hour of training and grimacing at how horrible she was at performing simple katas, Kasumi unceremoniously sat herself down on the bench while breathing very hard. "Wow, I never thought it'd feel so good."  
When Ranma noticed she was staring at her friend's heaving chest she turned away blushing.  
"Ranma? Is there something wrong?"  
She shook her head. "Um... nothing's wrong," she laughed nervously.  
Kasumi, trying to continue the conversation, said, "I can see you really enjoy training."  
Ranma just nodded.  
"H-How did you know that martial art was for you?"  
The cute redhead scratched the back of her head, "Well, I've pretty much grew up with it. I never really known anything else but martial arts, everything I've learned has always been to further it. You'd think a martial artist would be dumb because they're almost obsessive about moves and perfection. But the truth is, it's not about perfection of moves or motion, it's about perfection of self. They don't see the countless hours putting the kata into thought. Understanding how your muscles work, your limits, and technique used to further it is more than simply performing the move. I like it because it's challenging and gives me something to do in life I enjoy. And if they want to be, I'm sure any master of the art would make a good guard, scholar, or even doctor."  
Kasumi's interest was piqued, "Doctor? How so?"  
"Ah... well. This is how I understood it. If you bend parts the wrong way, they break."  
Kasumi cringed but Ranma continued her lecture.  
"A sensei once gave me a book on anatomy. It helped me to understand body mechanics. Then I was hooked, I wanted to know more; I wanted to know where the speed and power comes from. And before I knew it I started to learn human anatomy, physics, psychology, and math. Of course, I had to hide my knowledge from my dad, and that I was studying, because he doesn't believe a martial artist should waste time reading books. But despite what he said, I continued to do it anyhow. From anatomy you learn the human limits, with physics you learn how energy flows, psychology you learn to understand your opponent. And math, well, I guess it was nice to know how much you improved by looking at the numbers, but mostly I've learned it to make sense of some of the equations in physics.... And..." she began to trail off, "and... well I'm probably boring you with my yapping."  
Kasumi waved her hands in front of her, "No, no, no... not at all. Please continue."  
"Well, I'll wrap it up quickly. It's getting late."  
Kasumi nodded.  
"As for why I said they'd make a good doctor is because they have to learn all that anatomy stuff. I'm sure the real doctors go into it a lot deeper than we hobbyists do, though. From psychology I also realized some things about our minds. Like how it stores memory. Did you know you remember pictures better than sound? So someone with good imagination would have an easy time remembering things. Like, if you build an imaginary body starting with the skull then adding and naming the pieces together until you get the human body, it's easier to remember cause we remember by relation as well."  
Kasumi was awed. Does Ranma know the entire body? Why else would she choose this particular example? She thought back to a sentence in a psychology book she once read, 'The best examples are ones you use yourself'.  
Ranma stood up and held out her hand, "C'mon, I'll walk you home, it's getting late." At that point her stomach made itself be known.  
"Oh my, you must be hungry. As a token of my appreciation please accept my invitation to dinner."  
She bowed and replied, "Thank you, Kasumi."  
"You know Ranma, you have the same name as the person I might be engaged to. I really wish you were male. I'd definitely marry you."  
Ranma cringed and stared up from her bowing position, "Ever heard of 'Be careful what you wish for?' From my travels I've learned magic really does exist."  
Kasumi giggled.  
  
Ranma noticed Kasumi walking down the stairs fully clothed after having taken a bath and said, "Wow, this place is huge. Do you live here by yourself?"  
Kasumi smiled, "Oh no, I live here with my father and two sisters." As she walked by Ranma, she notice the faint smell of perspiration. "You must be tired; would you like to use our furo while I prepare dinner?"  
She responded with a little nod.  
"The bathroom is just down the hall and to the right. Be sure not to forget the occupied sign."  
"Thank you." Ranma quickly found the bathroom and hung up the sign.  
  
Fifteen minutes later...  
"Tadaima!" cried Akane. Soun, Genma, Nabiki, and Akane entered the house behind her.  
"Kasumi, are you home?"  
"In the kitchen," was the reply.  
"Oh, my poor baby! Where have you been? We've been looking everywhere. We heard there were conflicts in the back roads. I was so terrified you took that way home!"  
"There were some bad men back there but I was saved by Ranma."  
Genma perked up, "Ranma, he's here?" With a loud shout, "BOY! WHERE ARE YOU!?"  
"Mr. Saotome, this Ranma is a girl," Kasumi corrected.  
Genma started tugging on his gi and sweating, as though it were suddenly warmer in the room.  
  
Akane opened the door to the outer room of the bath, sighing in anticipation of washing the dirt off her body. She undressed quickly, smiling as she swung her towel over her shoulder.  
Within the bath, Ranma let out a breath nervously and stood up, leaving the warmth of the water. Should I just come out as I am...? Ranma wondered.  
Akane, barely covered by her skimpy towel had just walked in, her mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water as she stared.  
Ranma's throat constricted.  
Akane blinked, hoping the naked teenage boy was just her overactive imagination. He did not fade away. Just like a male, albeit an imaginary one, he too was stubborn to get out of sight, although he was cute. Must have been that romantic movie she watched last night giving her ideas. She pinched herself on the arm, expecting him to disappear. He did not. She calmly left the bathroom and shut the door. However, her scream while running to the dining room lacked any calmness earlier displayed.  
Shouting loud enough to wake the dead, she picked up the table and lifted it overhead, crying, "I'll kill him!"  
Her father and Mr. Saotome looked at her oddly.  
"Akane, what's wrong?" Nabiki asked, curiously.  
"There's some strange pervert boy in the bathroom!" Now armed with a large blunt object she decided to go back in there to kill the pervert.  
"So why didn't you just clobber him, like usual?"  
"He surprised me!"  
"But I just sent Ranma for a bath..." Kasumi puts in a puzzled look on her face.  
Someone coughed dryly and everyone looked at the opening to the room. It was the boy Akane was surprised by. He was wearing Ranma's Chinese clothes. He even had the same hairstyle and eye color, although he had black-brown hair and not red. This puzzled her. What had happened to Ranma?  
Soun, Nabiki, Kasumi, and Akane looked at him expectantly. Only the plump man wearing the headscarf and round glasses looked unsurprised.  
"Um, I'm Ranma Saotome...sorry about this."  
  
Night was preparing to settle in above the town of Nerima Tokyo. The late afternoon sun's red light gently diminished as it continued to set. Again, the peacefulness was not mirrored by what was currently happening within the Tendo house.  
Inside, Genma Saotome and the seemingly newly arrived 'male' son, Ranma, have sat down opposite to Soun Tendo and his three daughters, Kasumi, Nabiki, and Akane, at the large family table.  
"So Saotome, you really did have a son!" Soun was crying again, but this time in happiness. "But then who was that girl Kasumi was talking about?"  
"Er...yes, Tendo." Genma looked distinctly uncomfortable as he worked out how exactly to explain the situation. Then his face suddenly brightened as he decided what to do. He stood up and tried to flip his son over his shoulder, but the young man did not move and instead sent his father hurtling outside towards the small koi pond with the wave of his arm.  
Everyone looked on in shock at how easy it was for Ranma to dispatch his father. The water, rippling at the surface, suddenly bubbled as a figure gasped for air, and emerged from within the pond. All waited for Genma to re-emerge. However, instead of the expected Mr. Saotome, it was a giant panda. Soun seemed to come out of his idiotic stupor for a second.  
"Saotome! Is that you?" he asked incredulously.  
The panda crawled out of the pond, its gi drenched and fur dripping wet. It held up a wooden sign saying, "Yes, unfortunately." The panda then reversed the sign revealing, "And it's all Ranma's fault!"  
Kasumi just smiled gently at Ranma, unfazed.  
Genma then draped himself over Ranma, thus turning him into a girl, started to cry, and waving a sign that said, "Oh my poor son! How cruel for him to suffer this appalling condition! I cannot bear to see him like this!"  
"And you know just who's fault that is, don't you." Reaching back to get a hand full of fur she calmly removed the Panda draped over her back. "After all, it was you who thought Jusenkyou was a famous training ground we should visit!"  
The panda slowly sat himself upright, dripping water all over the floor. Kasumi frowned at all the mess the panda was making as it lifted up another wooden sign.  
"The kettle please?" the sign read.  
Kasumi fetched it for him.  
The panda then upended the kettle over his head before Ranma snatched it away and poured some hot water over his own. The girls were again shocked as the panda shrunk back into a man. With Genma and Ranma changed back and Soun recovered enough to seem like a normal human being, Genma explained how he and Ranma had gotten cursed.  
  
Flashback   
  
"Hmmm, this doesn't look like a training ground." Ranma looked suspiciously at the strange pools of water with long bamboo poles suspended over and between them.  
"Of course it is, boy! After all it is listed in this old book," Genma replied and even fished out the book to prove his point. "See? Jusenkyou, 'famous training ground,' right above this stuff that I can't read." Although he was a bit puzzled at the funny Chinese guide in a uniform jumping up and down shouting at them. But since Genma couldn't understand what he was saying, he ignored him, "C'mon Ranma! Let's begin!"  
"Right behind you!"  
Both of them leapt up, each of them landing on a pole, balancing perfectly on one foot, ignoring the shouts of the guide.  
The two of them leapt from pole to pole, each intending to knock the other on to the ground and maybe even into an embarrassing cold bath. However, it was Ranma who achieved that first. With a quick midair kick, courtesy of his son, Genma was knocked head first down into a pool. Ranma gloated. The Chinese guide managed to shout something in recognizable Japanese, something about a cursed pool and a drowned panda, but Ranma was too intent on watching his father surface the water, wet and defeated, to truly pay attention to the shouts.  
"Ha, take that old man! How is the water down there?" he smirked.  
Suddenly a loud growl came from below, and to Ranma's shock, a huge Panda wearing his father's gi and snarling viciously exploded from the water. Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but the surprise of a panda coming up instead of his father slowed him down enough to allow it a solid hit.  
Shouting, Ranma fell into the pool below him. Resurfacing, and spitting out water he again managed to catch a snatch of what that strange Chinese guide was saying. "Oh, too bad! Fall in spring of drowned girl! The Nyannichuan! Very tragic legend of girl that fall in pool and drown! Now whoever falls in pool take form of girl!"  
Shaking, a grim foreboding coming to him, Ranma ripped open his shirt and saw the impossible. He had sprouted breasts!  
  
End flashback   
  
"So now you see," Genma added, "cold water turns us into our cursed form, while hot water turns us back."  
Soun, who was sitting down contemplating these strange turn of events, suddenly stood up overjoyed. "So Saotome, Ranma is really a boy?"  
Genma answered in the positive.  
"That means he can still marry one of my daughters!" He slapped Ranma on the back and announced, "So choose which of my daughters you want to marry." He indicated his daughters. "My daughter, Kasumi, nineteen; Nabiki, seventeen; and Akane, sixteen."  
Blood started to heat up Ranma's face.  
"Pick whoever you want and she'll be your fiancée."  
"Oh, he wants Akane," Nabiki quickly injected.  
"WHAT!?" Akane shouted in response.  
"Well, you said you hate boys right? You're in luck, he's half girl."  
Kowtowing between her father and Ranma Kasumi pleaded, "Father. Ranma. Please allow me to fulfill our family honor."  
Everybody stared in shock of the still bowing Kasumi. Seeing his daughter with her head bowed and prostrated on the floor was too much. She has done so much for the family; I can't possibly ask her to sacrifice more. A person kind and sweet as her shouldn't even have to bow like that to the emperor.  
"K-Kasumi, please sit up. You don't have to do this for the sake of honor. I couldn't possibly ask you to sacrifice anymore for me. Ever since your mother died, you've been a tremendous help. It is I who should've sacrificed more for the family."  
"I," the two sisters added, "We," Nabiki corrected, "Should've helped more as well."  
Akane steeled her self for what she was about to do, "I-I'll accept the engagement."  
"No," her father firmly stated, "Now that my eyes are open to what I've almost done, I don't think I can let any of you go through with this. I'll give honor a chance to be satisfied, but it's not worth hurting any of you for it. I'll," pushing onward though he felt like reverting back to his pathetic self to keep from making such an important decision, "I'll engage you three to Ranma and let you decide amongst yourselves. If it doesn't work out...honor be damned!"  
"T-Tendo," Genma could not believe how strong his friend's character was. Lowering his head as if in shame he spoke with realization, "You're right Tendo."  
  
After the engagement business, Kasumi and Ranma were on the roof sharing a conversation. I guess she gotten her wish, Ranma thought, though I don't think she'll be happy with it.  
"Ranma?" Kasumi asked with a worry tone, "Are you okay?"  
Snapping out of his stupor, he answered with a nod, "Yeah." Pausing for a moment to look at the night sky he asked his question. "Kasumi? How do you feel about all this?"  
She giggled, "Well, I couldn't say you didn't warn me."  
Not quite satisfied, he pushed on, "I mean being engaged to a sex changing freak."  
Kasumi turned serious. "Now Ranma-kun, don't be so harsh on yourself. I'm not sure what my sisters think, but I know you're not a freak. When we first met I noticed you weren't uncomfortable with who you were. It takes a strong type of person to accept these strange circumstances that's out of their control." Staring down and blushing, "It's too early to tell if I'm in love, but from the brief time we've spent together I can definitely say I love your personality."  
Ranma blushed.  
  
Morning came once again.  
Now that everything is settled Genma handed his son a backpack, "You'll need this."  
Giving his father an odd look he asked, "What's this for?"  
The answer came in the form of a fist to the head, "Stupid boy! How can you expect these girls to marry a stupid idiot? You need an education."  
With a perplexed look on his face, Ranma reached for the pack.  
Nabiki rushed out the door, right past Ranma and Genma.  
"Wait Nabiki, I'll walk with you," Akane shouted.  
Popping her head back in, Nabiki replied, "You'll need to show your fiancée to school. I have something important to do. Oh, and I've already registered him, his schedules are in the backpack." With that said, she continued to hurry to school.  
  
What a show off, Akane thought, "You know we're not getting married, right?"  
Walking nonchalant on the fence Ranma replied, "Yeah."  
Glaring daggers at him Akane smiled darkly as an old lady splashed him with water. "Serves you right," Akane spat.  
"Oh dear, sorry about that darling. Didn't see you there," the old lady apologized.  
Ranma-chan gave her a smile, "That's alright grandma." "I haven't seen you around before, did you just move here?" She nods, "Yep, just got here yesterday. I'm heading to school right now." Handing Ranma a towel she apologized again, "I'm terribly sorry about that." "Don't worry about it," she replied, handing back the towel after drying herself somewhat. "Well, I should really get going now before I'm late. Ja." Continuing the walk she asked Akane, "What's wrong with you anyways? I don't recall doing anything to you to get you mad."  
Akane ignored her and ask a question of her own, "Don't tell me you're going to school like that?"  
Replying indifference, "I'll get some hot water at school."  
"We're close to Dr. Tofu's clinic. Wait here and I'll go get you some hot water." Within seconds she ran pass the apartment and turned the corner to the clinic.  
Ranma walked a little ways before doing what she was told.  
"Dr. Tofu? Dr. Tofu? Hmm...he must be out. I don't think he'll mind if I borrow his kettle," Akane mumbled in the spare and small kitchen.  
  
Sensing someone's presence Ranma immediately stepped aside and asked, "Who are you?"  
Trying to regain his posture, he stood up right and pushed up his glasses, "Hi, you must be new. The name's Doc Tofu Ono, and this here is my assistant Betty-Chan." He held out a dangling skeleton.  
Ranma smiled and held out her hand, "Nice to meet you Betty-Chan, the name's Ranma."  
Tofu then shook her hand with his skeleton's.  
Looking curious, she stared at him awhile.  
Growing uncomfortable, the doctor asked, "Is there something wrong?"  
Ranma-chan lifted her hand over her head and then rose on her tiptoes as if she was measuring something while managing to look really cute. "Wow, you're tall for Japanese. About 6'2" I believe."  
Dr. Tofu nodded, "How'd you know?"  
Ranma giggled, "I'm short, so I'm conscious of these things."  
The doctor laughed at that.  
"You almost managed to sneak up on me, and your chi was completely masked. Are you a martial artist?"  
Tofu chuckled, "How could I be completely masked if you managed to move out of the way?"  
"Oh, that's easy, I smelled bleach and saw your shadow."  
Tofu scratched the back of his head, "You're really perceptive. Yep. Just gave Betty-chan here a bath."  
"Ranma I..." upon seeing Tofu Akane's face lit up. "Dr. Tofu?"  
"Ah Akane, I haven't seen you in a while. What brings you to my clinic? You're not hurt are you?"  
She shook her head.  
"Broken bones?"  
She shook her head again.  
As the Dr. continued to question her, Ranma went around the corner and poured some hot water over his head. Ranma, now finally male, said to himself, "Interesting."  
  
"Ranma wait up!" Akane shouted while running after him. When she reached him, she asked angrily, "Why didn't you wait for me? You don't even know the way to school."  
Still walking calmly with his head high he answered, "I figured you'd like some quality time with the doc. You like him don't you?"  
She blushed. "Y-yeah," she answered with some hesitation, and then she turned angry, "Not a word of this to anyone! Or I'll pound you!"  
"Right," he nodded once. Just before the two reached the school gate, they were doused with an instant spring shower. This has always been a common phenomenon for her, and she could never tell when it was going to happen. Looking up she noticed there were no clouds. "How?" the redhead asked no one in particular.  
"I HATE BOYS!" Akane shouted, working herself up to face the morning ritual, but stopped in surprise when she noticed the hentai brigade was not attacking. Instead they were...walking up to her? She entered her stance and tensed up until they walked passed. Surprised by the turn of event she looked back to see what was going on and saw her fiancée flirting with the boys.  
  
Ranma wasn't sure what to do. She saw once the morning battles the group of boys had with Akane when she first arrived but was not sure how to approach the situation herself. "Kage Bunshi no Jitsu!" she cried, and a cloud of smoke enveloped her.  
When the cloud of smoke disappeared, everybody stared, wide-eyed. She was everywhere, enough for everybody! Ranma quickly jumped away from the crowd and landed near Akane.  
"W-what are t-those?"  
Ranma smirked and answered, "Clones."  
Sounds of questions like, "What's your name." "How old are you?" "Do you have a boyfriend?" "Want to go out?" came from the half red-haired crowd, then in unison "What're your measurements?" A unified slap was almost instantaneous.  
Ranma smiled, "Hehehe, guaranteed to defeat any male crowd." The clones vanished.  
All the boys had a stupid grin plastered on them after they were slapped unconscious.  
"You there!" Kuno called out, pointing at Ranma. "What is your name?"  
Ranma thought frantically. This was that idiot Kendo guy she saw knocked out by Akane previously. She did not really want this guy to go chasing after her male half when he searched for her cursed half, so she decided to make someone up. "I am... ah... er, Ran... ko." Nodding confidently she repeated, "Ranko. Yeah, that's it. My name's Ranko, got a problem with that?"  
"Wait. Is it not the custom to give one's own name first? Oh well, better late than never. I am the undefeated captain of this school's kendo club, a rising new star in the high school fencing world! The sound of my voice strikes fear into the hearts of my enemies. My peers call me the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High! Tatewaki Kuno, age 17."  
Ranko draped her left arm around Akane and whispered in her ear, "Who's the idiot in the samurai garb? He's kinda loony."  
Akane giggled and that got Kuno's head working. Which was not a good thing. Looking between the two girls as if they were whispering naughty things to each other he cried out from the injustice of it all.  
"Fair ones, no! Lacking suitable male company, you have in your innocence, no doubt, turned to each other; but I can allow it no longer! Ah, I, Tatewaki Kuno,  
  
shall single-handedly deliver you from the bonds of spinsterhood. Come! Be my loves,  
  
and together, we shall-- Oof!"  
After nudging Kuno in the side with an elbow, Ranko decided to lay it on thick for the idiot. "Ooh... Obviously you have come to chase off these fools who have failed to know and accept the blinding love that shines between you two, a love so bright that I am blinded by its radiance. You are right, yet, alas, she is not meant for me but for the great Kuno. Please, treat her well, kindly and gently, and shower her with the love she deserves and shares with you, the greatest of men. Yes; for only a man of your caliber can she shed her errant ways and know the true meaning of love, the love between a man and women destined by the heavens to be together and marry." With that said, she exited for class and left Akane to fend off the delusional kendoist.  
  
I shouldn't be surprised, Ranma mused as he effortlessly worked through the mound of aptitude tests. Given her comments about Akane the best suited to marry me, I should have expected her to place me in every class her younger sister was taking. Given Akane's general personality, she would not be that far along academically; her classes would avail me nothing. Maybe high school is not enough, either...  
"Finished," Ranma announced to the teacher reading a book and enjoying a rare quiet moment at school.  
"Eh? What? All ready? All of them?"  
Ranma set the stack neatly on the desk and flipped through each one fast enough to show the answers on each page.  
"Er, I see. Well, it will take us some time to grade these; come in early tomorrow and we'll have your schedule ready."  
"Thank you," Ranma nodded and grabbed his backpack on his way out the door.  
  
To say Akane was a little peeved was an understatement. A grave understatement! Not only was she unable to find that manipulative pervert to vent her frustration on, but she had to stand out in the hall as punishment for being late as well. For the most part of class, she simply brooded and planned ways to get her revenge on RANMA. Even saying his name mentally gave her a disgusting taste.  
  
"I'm HOME!" she shouted then slammed the door. Lo and behold, Ranma was there to greet her cheerfully.  
"I take it your day went well?"  
"You!" She was too angry to even think correctly. "You, you, you..." Unable to get any more out she stopped pointing at him and stomped to her room. When she managed to change into her gi and return downstairs with her anger still evident on her face Akane gave a command that was very hard to misinterpret.  
"YOU! ME! DOJO! NOW!" She stomped in the direction she pointed immediately.  
Curious, he followed.  
  
It did not surprise him that the moment he stepped into the dojo the ill-tempered girl swung at him. Leaning back slightly he dodged by mere centimeters to let the obvious punch crease the air, and then effortlessly sidestepped her kick. He dodged, but just enough to assure he would anger her further.  
"Stand still and fight!" she roared, only to earn a half smile from her ghostly opponent. Her rage telegraphed her every thought and intention, but he wasn't going to end it without teaching her a lesson. He weaved in and out of her attacks and made her chase him around in zigzag motions to better her footwork.  
Soon she rested her hands on her knees as she breathed heavily and sweated profusely.  
"Is that all?" he frowned.  
She gulped some air before she spoke, "Just... you... wait... when... I'm... rested."  
At this point Ranma decided to dance around her and poke her in shiatsu points to get the blood flowing to the parts most used.  
Of course, Akane did not see it like that and thought he was mocking her, annoying her, and pissing her off. Stay calm, she thought, he's getting over confident, this might be your chance to catch him off guard. Her thoughts of calmness went out the window when Ranma started to massage her arms and legs to help with the blood flow. Akane, of course, takes it the wrong way and believes he is trying to cop a cheap feel. Then again, most anyone would have felt much the same way.  
"What the hell are you doing, PERVERT!" Feeling energized by her righteous fury, she was ready to teach him a lesson this time.  
  
This continued for an hour before her anger diminished due to hopelessness and fatigue.  
  
"Oh my, is Akane ok?" Kasumi asked.  
Ranma gave her a smile and assured her everything was fine. "Don't worry, she's all right. She just over worked herself."  
It's not fair, she thought as Ranma carried her in his arms to her room. As she was laid upon her bed, she wanted to cry but did not have enough energy for even a sob.  
Ranma pulled the chair from her desk and sat beside the bed. Smiling, he said, "G, not only do you have to call me Sempai, but now you also have to call me sensei."  
She glared at him as best one could while paralyzed.  
"Don't tell me you're still mad about that Kuno incident. I thought a tough girl like you could handle him. Or was it because I made you look like a lesbian? I suppose I owe you an apology for that, but did you see the look on that bokken idiot?" He laughed, amused at the memory. "C'mon Akane, you gotta learn to lighten up. I tell you what, I'll let you train with me after school."  
Damn that arrogant cocky bastard, she sighed. But his arrogance was as great as his skill, and that made him just too damn cool. Thinking it would be nice to be able to perform some of those tricks, she nodded.  
  
Ranma left Akane and took a well-earned bath. Submerged in the furo's warm water, he let out a relieved sigh. Hmm... What to wear as Kasumi's date? "Poor girl works so hard and expects nothing in return."  
  
Flashback  
  
"Kasumi?"  
"Yes Ranma?"  
"Where's everybody?"  
"Nabiki has business she attends to, my fathers and yours are celebrating and won't be back till dinner, and Akane is in her room sleeping."  
Ranma gave her a thoughtful look, "How was your day? I didn't see you when I came home."  
She smiled, "Oh just my everyday chores. Groceries at three and laundry at four thirty."  
"Are you busy tonight?"  
"I suppose there's nothing else until dinner, which starts three hours from now."  
"Great, think you can show me around town?"  
  
End flashback  
  
Stupid Ranma, Akane thought to herself. Now recovered a little, she decided to take a bath and clean up. Too blinded by anger, she forgot to notice the occupied sign and stripped down. Inside, Ranma stood up and left the warm water.  
Seeing her cute, but most hated quarry naked in front of her Akane blinked, dumbfounded.  
Ranma sighed. No doubt, Akane was going to blame him for this. He decided to perform a demon head chi shout.  
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING? DID YOU NOT SEE THE OCCUPIED SIGN?!"  
Startled and scared, she ran out of the bathroom with only the skimpy towel over her shoulder.  
  
Kasumi sat still on her bed while looking down upon herself. She wore a bright plum colored sundress. So plain, she thought. Why would Ranma be interested in someone as boring as she? Even if he chose her to marry, would she even be of any help? A single tear rolled down her cheek. Wiping it away, she went downstairs to meet her date for tonight.  
  
Ranma waited at the base of the stairs, briefly tugging on the cuffs of his shirt. The black silk was worn and frayed in a few spots, yet clean and well taken care of. Rippling with the slightest movement, the material shined white, worn smooth with time to shine so in such a dark color. He glanced down briefly, checking the match with his usual black trousers and soft shoes; he was rather monochromatic, but he would go well with whatever Kasumi chose to wear tonight.  
  
At the top of the stairs, Kasumi paused and glanced at herself one last time, then looked to see if Ranma was ready. Upon seeing her date at the bottom she felt a little nervous and a bit of anticipation. Normally she was not concerned much for what others thought, but she found herself very self-conscious when Ranma was around. Thinking back to the day when they first met, she smiled.  
Smiling back, he held out a hand before she took the last few steps, "You look very nice."  
She blushed, "You too Ranma."  
"So, where to?"  
Unsure, she answered, "The park?"  
  
While walking she tried to strike up a conversation, "Um... how was your first day in school?"  
"School's great. Seeing Akane's fight this morning was something. I didn't think they even allow those things in educational facilities."  
"Such a thing shouldn't happen at school. Someone can get really hurt. If it was a martial arts school I'd understand, but none of them are training, they're just beating each other senseless."  
He nodded in agreement.  
Reaching the park, they find a bench to sit on.  
"So, what should we do next?"  
"Huh? Oh, I guess we can go around town."  
Helping Kasumi up, an idea came to mind, "Ever been roof-hopping?"  
Curious she asked, "What's that?"  
Without saying another word, he picked her up in his arms and leaped onto the nearest roof.  
Yelping in surprise from the initial shock, she quickly calmed down when Ranma assured her that everything would be fine. Gods, he was fast! Flying across the small town as if gravity were non-existent, she could not even feel when his feet touched the ground. Daring to look up from her nestled position she stared, blindly shocked to disbelief at the realization that he had been dashing along the side of a fence.  
"My God what are you?" she whispered, half-fearfully.  
And all the while, cradled delicately in his arms, her body felt not the jostling that would have plagued any normal human attempting such a venture. Smiling as the childhood fairytale line came back to her, Kasumi freely tilted her head into his comfortable chest, enjoying in the ever- constant rush of the wind through her hair. Yet much too soon, and before realization could catch up with abandon, she sensed their inevitable return to the snail's pace of the real world.  
When he set her down on her feet, Kasumi wondered what caused Ranma to stop. Looking up, she noticed some schoolgirls facing off with a monster.  
Never removing his eyes from the fight, he analyzed the battle with the monster and the schoolgirls. The monster took a hit to the head from what appeared to be flaming arrows. All of a sudden, the monster disappeared and then reappeared floating in the air.  
"Woah, that was fast!" Firing wildly at the monster, some stray projectiles began to destroy buildings. What the hell are they doing, don't they know they could hit someone like that?  
Mercury, picking up life signs on her laptop at the top of a building shouted, "STOP! There are people on that building."  
The monster turned around to see a boy dressed in Chinese clothes standing on top of the building. Thinking it'd be able to steal some more energy to combat the Senshi it snarled and hurled itself towards its pray. Seeing the boy motionless, no doubt scared from such a fearsome monster, it accelerated in anticipation of its prey's quick demise.  
Despite the outward calm, Ranma felt the surge of energy that preceded every fight. The world slowed down and his senses became fine tune with everything. Minute details told him volumes, and his thoughts revolved around tactics, analysis, techniques, and oddities that could lead to an unhealthy surprise or two. The result was a very slow and ugly monster charging him like a bad Godzilla movie. Sometimes he wondered why his body would enter this state when the enemy was so far out of reach. Growing bored, he found himself counting the hairs on the monster's head, categorizing the species it came from: Yeti. Eel. Crane. Bull. Then recited a poem on its ugliness. Now that it was close enough to get his attention, he wondered what he should do. Should he block? Should he dodge? Thinking they're going to die, Kasumi covered her head and tightly shut her eyes. Finally satisfied on what action to take he snapped out of thought.  
Unfortunately, he took too long and instinct kicked in. He bitch slapped the monster to the ground. Not wanting to waste the opportunity, he punted the horrid looking creature into the stratosphere.  
  
The Senshi leapt onto the roof to meet the stranger.  
"He appears to be human," Mercury commented.  
"HUMAN!" sailor Mars burst out. "Since when can a human do that?"  
"Since when did little schoolgirls fight monsters?"  
All of the Senshi turned to the voice.  
Mars gave him an angry glare, "We're the Pretty Sailor Suited Soldiers and we fight for love and justice." Now that it was out, sailor Mercury recoiled in embarrassment, realizing how clichéd the phrase sounded.  
Trying to control the situation before it went even further out of hand, the leader spoke up, "Now Mars, not everyone has heard of the Senshi. Just give him a chance to explain."  
"Explain what?"  
"How you could defeat that monster so easily."  
Ranma scratched his head. "I, ah, back handed him across the face like this," he said and demonstrated it in slow motion. "Then I kick him like this," he finished as he demonstrated the perfect punt.  
Wondering if the fight was over, Kasumi hesitantly peek out from behind Ranma and asked with as much courage as a meek housewife could, "I- Is the m-monster gone?"  
"Yeah, it's gone. You can come out now," Ranma said absently.  
Upon seeing the famous Senshi, she quickly positioned herself in front of Ranma and bowed to each of the pretty sailor scouts, "Thank you for saving us Sailor Moon. Sailor Mars. Sailor Mercury. Sailor Jupiter. Sailor Venus." Straightening up she asked, "I'm a really big fan of yours. May I have your autographs?"  
Sailor Moon smiled and took the pen and notepad, "Sure, anything for a fan." The others were all too happy to sign as well.  
"Um, well. Since the monster is gone, we'll be going now. I don't think Kasumi can handle anymore excitement for today."  
Still in a trancelike state while clenching her notebook with the Senshi's autographs, she nodded mindlessly to the question of home.  
  
Back on her bed and very tired from the day's events, she began to reflect back on the time she first met the Senshi. Her life was getting more exciting, no doubt due to Ranma. Smiling, Kasumi drifted off to dreamland.  
  
Saturday Morning...  
"KI YAH!"  
"C'mon Akane, I know you can do better," Ranma said casually as he flipped a page with his thumb. With one arm, he easily blocked all of Akane's furious attacks.  
"Why," huff, "don't," huff, "you," huff, "TAKE. ME. SERIOUSLY!!"  
He punched her from across the room, sending her sprawling on the ground.  
"What the hell was that!?" his student spat. Ranma pulled his attention from the book to look at his student and calmly told her, "A seriously..." Seeing nothing important, he went back to reading his book and enlightened his student, "weak punch."  
Nabiki walked in to see Ranma perform a punch at the air and Akane sprawling on the ground. Not wanting to loose her sanity from trying to figure out what just happen, she looked away and relayed her older sister's message.  
"Kasumi wanted me to tell you breakfast is ready."  
Closing his book and smiling, he quickly exited the dojo to get some food. "Hai, lets go."  
Leading Nabiki away before she even had the thought of helping her little sister, Akane desperately crawled like a worm on the dojo floor trying to get to the food before her baka sensei. Erk, the early bird gets the worm, but what the hell does the worm get for waking up early? No longer amused, she wormed her way faster to the dojo exit.  
  
Breakfast began once everybody was at the table.  
"Itadaki masu!" everybody expressed thanks and dug in with gusto, some apparently more than others.  
"Hey, old man. What are you doing?" Ranma demanded, fending off the blur of chopsticks desperately trying to get at his food. He finally caught the attackers' weapon and held it.  
"My boy, I can't let your skills grow weak."  
"Well, if you're that concerned about me lacking skill, why don't you join in on our sparring match?"  
Sweating, Genma quickly tried to think of a way out. "You can't only be prepared on the battlefield! You have to be prepared at all times."  
"Ha, doubt you even take your own advice."  
Clicking his chopsticks twice to taunt his father, Ranma smirked as Genma quickly declined and began to mumble.  
"Feh, you're not worth it."  
About to dig in on his own food, Genma noticed nothing was there. He stared at Ranma who had an all-knowing smirk while clicking twice on his chopsticks, then putting it in his mouth. "Yum..."  
"Why you!"  
Doing a very crappy impersonation of his father, he mocked, "You can't only be prepared on the battlefield! You have to be prepared at all times."  
Everybody laughed, except Genma.  
Wanting to really teach his ingrate son a lesson he attacked, but Ranma's quick agility allowed him to lean away from the incoming fist.  
"Bring it on Panda-man!"  
Now seeing red, Genma began to put his all into his attacks. As his attacks began to blur so did Ranma's, who was blocking with a pair of... chopsticks?  
"Wow, he's good," Nabiki commented.  
Akane grumbled to herself as she crossed her arms.  
Ranma suddenly frowned, "You've weakened."  
Genma froze in mid punch.  
"Feh."  
Breakfast was finished in an uneasy silence.  
  
As Ranma and Kasumi walked to the street market to get some groceries, Kasumi's curiosity got the best of her, and steeled up to ask about this morning's confrontation, "I-I hope you won't get angry, but what were you and your father talking about?"  
Ranma's visage softened, "Kasumi, you know I could never get mad at you. It's just... I'm frustrated at my father for not trying to advance any further in his martial arts. Our style, Kasumi, is to feed on our passion. What I mean by this is that we gain strength from doing the things we love. Sure father was a liar and cheat, but at least he was living."  
"I don't understand." He mentally gave a sigh as if he had explained this numerous times, "Kasumi, understand that our art is a leeching school. What I mean by this is that we draw our strengths from our passion. Ganso Musabetsu Kakutö Ryü isn't just about fighting, it's about living. Sure, some people's enjoyment may cause havoc for others, but it's out of this joy that the feeling of happiness allows us to profoundly understand how precious life is. It is from this understanding that we learn how to be human and become hesitant to kill." Noticing he had not lost or confused his listener, he continued. "Ever wonder what it means to be human, or how we can understand it's inhuman to kill someone in cold blood? How exactly do we know what's inhuman? I think everyone knows the answer but is incapable of explaining it. Some say we're born to make each other suffer, and I see why they believe this since we're losing our understanding of what it means to be human, but I still disagree. With billions of people alive and more every minute, how could so many people survive if their only purpose is to suffer, hate, and kill? No, the purpose of humanity, the very meaning, is the opposite, and in killing we are at cross purposes with our existence-- it is inhuman to deny another's humanity, to enjoy life and be happy!"  
Kasumi's eyes widened in realization, "You mean the art is to prevent people from killing? I see, by creating some form of attachment to life, something precious to them, causes them to think about the reality of their own happiness being taken away. Which make them feel empathy or some form of sympathy if they ever had the choice of killing someone."  
He sweat dropped, "Though that may be true, I don't think it should be worded like that. You make it sound as if we're out to reform the world."  
  
Once they reached the street market, Kasumi thought Ranma would like to tour the place instead getting boring groceries, so they went their separate ways. When she neared the end of her shopping she noticed an antique store she didn't recognize. Curious, she stepped in to greet the new vendor. "Hello?" no one answered. Deciding it would not hurt anything to look around she begins to eye the place carefully. There were a ton of various knickknacks she could make out that were broken in some way or completely useless, until her eyes gazed upon one of the most magnificent artworks. The first bracelet was black with white metallic outlining of a dragon curling around it. The second was seemingly as exquisite as the first, but its colors were inverted from its dark counterpart with the picture of a phoenix in flight. "Ah, I see something caught your attention," a voice purred. Startled, Kasumi turned towards the voice as it continued to speak "They look very beautiful together, no?"  
She nods, "How much for the white one?"  
  
"I'm sorry but I won't be able to sell them individually. You see, those bracelets are a pair and is said that the phoenix would always search for the dragon. I'm not quite sure what it means, but perhaps they're supposed to be sold together, mmm?" A bit curious, she asked, "How much for both?" "Well, since you are my first customer I feel you deserve a discount, how say... 200 yen?" "Thank you," she bowed kindly. Perhaps she could give Ranma the black one as a present. Determine to share her good fortune with her escort she headed off to find Ranma.  
  
"I'm free, free! FRREEEEEEEEEEEEE! Muahahahaha! Now I shall liberate all my darlings!"  
Ranma stopped in his tracks and nodded to himself. "Ah, the master."  
"What a haul, what a haul!" the demonic troll yelled as a herd of females chased him down the street trying to kill the evil thing running off with their undergarments. Thinking he had enough for the day, he leaped on to a roof to get away from the angry mob of women.  
"Master HAPPOSAI!"  
Wondering who called out his name he looked left and right to find...nobody. As if he might be able to find the person who called him, he looked down at the mob of females screaming and shouting. Then all of a sudden, he found himself rocketing downwards towards the mob. The moment he landed on the ground all the women start beating on the old troll and hitting him with anything and everything they could find. After kicking the old man to the angry mob of women Ranma stood there waiting for everyone to finish beating on his master.  
Finally, the mob began to tire and slowly leave the scene... until there was one left. It appeared her appetite for beating up the old pervert was not quite satisfied yet. Ranma leaped from the roof and landed behind the girl who was still pounding away on his master. He coughed once to get her attention, but unfortunately, she was too busy to notice.  
"AH! OH! My back! My head! OUCH! PLEASE STOP!"  
Ranma put a hand on her shoulder to calm her down. When she turned around he noticed it was Akane.  
"I think that is enough." Crouching down to his master he added, "I see your passion hasn't changed, but don't you think you should find a hobby that's a little less painful?"  
Pulling himself up to better see his student Happosai smiled, "I can't give it up, you can't imagine how entertaining it is for an old man like myself."  
  
Entertaining? Akane's hands curled into fists. "Entertaining!? Why you pervert, I should beat you to death for what you did!"  
Just as she started to advance on the old man Ranma commanded, "Hold it."  
She stopped and he picked off some leaves from his masters clothes while the old man patted the dirt off.  
"What are you doing here?" Ranma finally asked.  
His master looked at him for a moment, "I heard I would be able to find you here."  
"Why would you be looking for me?"  
"I'm here to warn you there's someone out for your head. And they're onto your trail."  
"Who?"  
"The Joketsuzoku. It appears you defeated one of their Amazon warriors."  
"Yeah, I remember her. Odd for her to give me a kiss after a defeat."  
"That my boy was the kiss of marriage, by Amazon law they must marry any male who defeats them. But when searching for you they found out that you were to be my heir. Since I haven't been on good grounds with the Amazons they're now out to end our school's legacy. Namely you. Just thought I give you a warning incase you're about to settle down. It won't be pretty for those who are close to you."  
"What's their reason for them wanting to kill me?"  
"Well," the old man scratched his head, "Um, back fifteen years ago... I was seeking the legendary tribe of beautiful female warriors. I guess I found it. That day my powers increased substantially and after a while none in the village was able to stop me from liberating their panties. Muahahaha... Until I met their elders." Happosai shuddered from the memory. "I didn't think there would have been so many powerful old mummies there. I fought for my life. I fought for my darlings. I ended up using your father's Yami-sen-ken to get away. I understood how it worked but I didn't know how devastating it was. I got away, but I ended up leveling their entire village and without knowing, took some of their ancient artifacts."  
"Ah, yeah... I see why they'd want you dead. But why are they after me?"  
"Well, you're my heir. Go figure. Maybe they seek to destroy our school to prevent it ever happening again."  
"It looks like you've out done yourself."  
"Yeah well, excuse me for living. You know this is what has kept me alive for all these years."  
Ranma nodded. Standing up slowly he pondered on his next course of action. "It looks like I'll have to go on another training trip. I can't let anyone be casualties to our school's affair. Damn, and I was enjoying myself here too."  
Thinking she had been ignored long enough Akane finally spoke up. "Wait, you're leaving? But what about my training?"  
Looking at her miserably he answered, "I'm sorry, but I can't put your family in danger. If anything were to happen to any of you, I'd never be able to forgive myself. "  
She was about to protest, but lost her voice.  
  
"Let's find Kasumi and head on home."  
They then walked in silence.  
  
Back at the Tendo Dojo, master Happosai, Ranma, Genma, and Soun sat around the table to discuss the situation.  
"You can't leave! What about your fiancées, there's honor to uphold, boy!"  
  
Genma was thwacked on the head. "That's Master Ranma if you must address him, or have you forgotten he's now the head of our school?"  
Begging for forgiveness he quickly silenced himself for fear of Happosai's wrath.  
"I shall go to China and try to settle things with the Amazons," Ranma said calmly.  
  
"When will you be back?"  
Everybody turned around and saw Kasumi looking worried.  
"Well, China is pretty big. I'm not even sure if I can find the village again."  
  
Nabiki, after overhearing the entire conversation made herself known.  
"Hmm, and what happen if they tracked you here while you're out searching for them? Not to mention it's going to look suspicious when one of our brightest students is missing. I believe the best course of action is to remain here. If they can't find you then no worries, if they do find you at least you have a room full of masters to help you. And if you're really ambitious you can get a better lay of the land and have a home field advantage."  
"Sounds like a good plan." Standing up, he announced his decision, "Very well, I shall remain here."  
  
Star gazing on the roof...  
I'm beginning to grow attach to this place, he said mentally. His father did say this was the last leg of their training journey. Then again, can he trust that fat Panda? As he pondered his current life he heard the sound of the attic door opening. "Kasumi?" "I thought you might be chilly, I brought you some hot chocolate." Taking the cup as she carefully sat down with him, she too looked up to see the sky. "Do you do this often?" she asked. "As often as I can. It fascinates me to know I'm unable to count all the stars in the sky, and no doubt that one of those bright dots in the sky has intelligent life like ours." "So you believe in Aliens?" "How can I not? I may not know for sure if there are but I can hope. If we were the only intelligent life out here, then space is a very empty place. We exist, why can't they? They're probably wondering the exact same thing I'm guessing." "Ranma?" "Yes?" "Do you like it here?" Turning his gaze from the stars to look at her he answered, "Yeah, the view here is certainly beautiful." She blushed. Not quite sure if he meant the stars or her, she left it at that.  
  
Woot! End of part one, edited, cleaned up, formatted, the whole nine yards. Story errors are Newy's; formatting, etc, are mine, all mine. =) 


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